The Core will manage animals (rabbits and mice) from which myocytes will be isolated at Loyola for use in all[unreadable] 4 of the projects. The mice used will include wild type and genetically modified mice that are developed and[unreadable] bred in Core D at UCSD (including some that will be subjected to transverse aortic banding to induce[unreadable] chronic pressure overload in Project by Brown). The rabbits used will include both control and heart failure (HF)[unreadable] rabbits (induced by combined pressure and volume overload). The core will also be responsible for the[unreadable] preparation and functional monitoring of HF rabbits during the evolution of dysfunction (under the direction[unreadable] of Dr. S.M. Pogwizd at UIC). The core will also culture adult cardiac myocytes for 24-48 hours for studies[unreadable] involving adenoviral gene transfer. These myocytes will be used directly by the three Loyola projects (l-lll)[unreadable] for functional, imaging and biochemical analysis and also by Project by Brown for biochemical analysis (after[unreadable] experimental treatment by the investigators at Loyola and shipment to UCSD). The procedures carried out[unreadable] are specialized, but the personnel involved are expert in their respective roles and this should run smoothly[unreadable] and efficiently in making the best use of the myocytes available.[unreadable] Mice are especially valuable because of the opportunity to genetically manipulate the molecules under[unreadable] investigation (and we are taking advantage of that in The Genetic Mouse Models and Adenoviruses Core) and collectively we have extensive experience[unreadable] with mouse myocytes and cardiovascular disease models. The mouse work will be complemented by[unreadable] studies in rabbit, where similar genetic manipulation is not practical, but rabbits are highly advantageous[unreadable] here for two major reasons. First, the electrophysiological and Ca handling properties in rabbit ventricle are[unreadable] very similar to that in human. Second, we have already developed a well-characterized rabbit model of[unreadable] heart failure. Indeed, the HF rabbits manifest both severely depressed LV contractile function and[unreadable] spontaneously-occurring ventricular arrhythmias. Rabbit myocytes are also well suited for the measurements[unreadable] to be made (including: voltage clamp, fluorescence imaging, biochemical and molecular studies, and[unreadable] in vitro adenoviral gene transfer. The services provided by this core are essential to the successful[unreadable] completion of the science in Projects by Bers, Blatter, Mignery, and Brown, enabling the elucidation of mechanistic roles of IP3R and CaMKII in ECC, arrhythmogenesis, hypertrophy and HF.